Novels online

Chapter 1439: Each with Their Own Axe to Grind

The small town of Mirzaani, in the central Transcaucasia region.

Ottoman chief negotiating envoy Çandarlı Halil watched the retreating backs of the Persian delegation, then lazily yawned. Turning to his deputy envoy, Semiz, who stood beside him, he said, "Let's have dinner at my place. My chef has finally arrived. Tonight, we won't have to suffer through that disgusting burnt smell and bread as hard as stone anymore."

Semiz first expressed his sincere gratitude, then glanced at the negotiation minutes on the table and cautiously stated, "Sir, according to the Rustavi Treaty, the Persians have the right to enter Imereti, and our Janissaries in Kaspi..."

Çandarlı waved his hand dismissively. "Don't be so serious, young man. Oh, I need to remind Hussein; otherwise, that fool might bring two infidel women again tonight."

Semiz cautiously continued, "But, sir, the Grand Vizier instructed us to negotiate land exchanges with the Persians. The talks have been going on for a month and a half, with no results. What if the Grand Vizier blames us..."

Çandarlı chuckled. "No, no, you've misunderstood."

"Do you really think the Grand Vizier wants to exchange Telavi and Tbilisi for Western Georgia?"

"Isn't... that the case?"

"Ha-ha, of course not." Çandarlı gestured for his attendants to collect the negotiation documents, and he and his deputy walked out of the hall. "Our mission is simply to buy time."

He lowered his voice: "Let me tell you, Ahmed Pasha is currently building defensive lines along the Alazani River valley, and Mustafa Pasha himself will be stationed along the Yerevan-Hrazdan line."

"The longer these negotiations drag on, the stronger their defenses will become."

"If we can stall the Persians until the end of the year, then the magnificent Sultan will possess all of Georgia."

Yes, although the Russians had ceded Western Georgia to Persia—at the time, the Ottomans, to first deal with their greatest enemy, the Russian army, had no choice but to agree to carve out a piece for their Persian allies—Tbilisi, however, controlled the pass to Western Georgia. After occupying it, the Ottomans naturally developed other intentions.

As long as the Empire's grand army held Tbilisi and simultaneously guarded against Persian attacks on central Armenia, the Persians would forever only nominally possess Western Georgia.

According to the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire's plan, ceding at most the area between Tbilisi and Ganja—the eastern Jorji Plateau—to appease the Persians would already be considered having done one's utmost.

The next morning.

In the Persian army camp within Ganja, Prince Mirza of Persia handed the freshly delivered letter from the negotiation envoy to Reza Afshar, the cavalry commander standing nearby:

"The Turks are indeed a bunch of shameless bastards."

The latter unfurled the confidential letter and saw that it stated the Ottoman negotiators were clearly stalling for time, and no substantial progress in the talks was likely in the short term.

Reza then recalled the situation his cavalry had scouted on the western front yesterday, and frowned. "Your Highness, the Ottomans have frequently been sighted near Signagi and Karauli recently. It seems to me they probably have no intention of honoring the treaty."

Mirza did not respond, instead asking, "By the way, have you heard that the Turks are going to levy a transaction tax on grain and timber in Tbilisi?"

The assembled officers were staring blankly at each other, and finally, Mirza's secretary replied, "Your Highness, it seems there's also wine and salt. However, Ottoman merchants would be exempt from the tax."

Mirza nodded. "As soon as they entered the city, they demanded that Georgians use the Turkic language in all documents, and they built four religious schools in one go."

"Furthermore, on top of increasing Tbilisi's annual tribute by a quarter, they also imposed a 'Janissary tribute.'"

"Oh, now it's widely rumored throughout Tbilisi that the Turks will secretly abduct infidels after dark and sell them into slavery in Anatolia."

Almost all of Georgia was Eastern Orthodox, so the 'infidels' he spoke of included all citizens of Tbilisi.

Reza sounded somewhat uncertain. "Your Highness, it seems the Turks only sell people from the western coastal tribes of the Caucasus as slaves..."

"Who can guarantee they won't expand their scope?" Mirza chuckled. "What do you think the people of Tbilisi want most right now?"

Reza blurted out, "To drive out the Turks, of course."

Mirza nodded. "Exactly."

"The foolish Ottomans have reminded the Eastern Georgian nobility of the Empire's benevolent rule over them."

"Now, without Russian backing, they can only rely on the Empire."

For more than half of the eighteenth century, Eastern Georgia had been a vassal state of Persia. In many cities, including Tbilisi, there were numerous pro-Persian factions.

Even within the Georgian royal family, a pro-Persian faction existed.

Mirza said, walking to the sand table in the center of the room and pointing to the west side of Tbilisi, "In ten days at most, Iulon will be able to assemble an army of over 3,000 men in Chiatura."

"And Prince Parnaoz will lead the nobility loyal to him in an uprising in Tbilisi."

"Let the Ottomans gloat over their delaying tactics at the negotiating table; in reality, I need time more than they do."

As he spoke, he gestured with a wooden stick towards Armenia, southwest of Tbilisi. "Before that, General Lutf will launch a feint in Hrazdan."

"When the Turkish army rushes to reinforce, our main force will launch a fierce assault on Tbilisi from the Rustavi direction. Parnaoz's men will be inside the city, supporting us."

"At the same time, Iulon will launch a surprise attack from the west of Tbilisi."

"Even if the Ottomans can withstand our main army, they won't be prepared for enemies appearing from behind them."

Both Iulon and Parnaoz, whom he mentioned, bore the surname Bagration, making them members of the Georgian royal family.

Currently, Grand Duke George XII of Georgia had fled to Saint Petersburg for refuge, making these collateral branches of the royal family the most influential forces in Tbilisi.

The Persian officers' eyes lit up. It turned out that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had distrusted the Ottomans from the very beginning and had prepared for the military occupation of Tbilisi.

Only Reza looked solemn as he said, "Your Highness, if Prince Parnaoz's army wants to reach Tbilisi without passing through Gori, it would require marching for over a month. Over such a long period, it would likely be difficult to avoid detection by the Turks."

According to the Rustavi Treaty, a large number of Russian troops were still garrisoned in Gori. They certainly wouldn't tolerate armed Georgian forces approaching.

Mirza stated calmly, "They will pass through Gori."

"But the Russians..."

"The Russians will not only not stop them but will even provide logistical supplies." Mirza chuckled lightly. "We've already made arrangements."

October 12, 1800.

While the Ottoman and Persian negotiation envoys were still wrangling in Mirzaani, nearly 30,000 Persian troops suddenly appeared in Western Armenia.